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Many books have been either challenged or banned in libraries and schools across the country. Author Judy Blume's Forever, published in 1975, top, deals with teenage sexuality and has been the target of censors often.

WASHINGTON  John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is on high school reading lists across the country. But the classic novel occasionally appears on another list as well — of books that some parents want pulled from shelves because of vulgar language, sexual content or some other reason.

Every year, public libraries and schools across the country collectively field hundreds of requests from parents, public officials and activists pressing for the removal of books they deem inappropriate. That includes literary classics, human sexuality manuals and, occasionally, even the dictionary, according to the American Library Association.

The American Library Association has logged more than 9,600 requests to remove books from library shelves, summer reading lists and school classrooms since 1990. The actual number is considerably higher, association officials say, because most challenges are handled quietly.

The number of cases in which a book was removed has declined over time, according to Judith Krug, director of the association's office of intellectual freedom.

"The community is rising up and saying, 'No, you are not going to remove these materials. We can make up our own mind,'" she said, "I give a lot of credit to the public."

The annual list of book challenges compiled by the American Library Association is based on news accounts and reports from librarians. Association officials keep the vast majority of requests confidential.

Gannett News Service analyzed 272 publicly reported challenges compiled by the association from 2003 through March 2008 and found that:

• Challenges came from communities in 41 states, some from organized groups and others from parents and patrons. Most of the challenges — 222 — targeted books at a school.

• Sexual content was cited 144 times, making it by far the most common basis for a challenge. Vulgar language, racial themes, violent images and anti-Christian content also were mentioned often.

• In addition to Steinbeck, famous authors whose works have been challenged include Mark Twain (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ), Maya Angelou (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ) and J.K. Rowling (the Harry Potter books).

• Most challenged books stayed on the shelves. Of 176 different books challenged in cases that led to some resolution, 99 (56 percent) were retained and 65 were removed. Another 12 remained available but with restrictions, such as a requirement for parental permission.

People who ask that books be removed from a library shelf or school reading list target titles that might seem harmless to others, Krug said.

In 1993, school officials in Churchill County, Nev., received complaints about "objectionable language" in the American Heritage Dictionary. The officials decided to keep the dictionary anyway.Most challenges focus on keeping certain books away from children.

Kathleen Subia of Chandler, Ariz., asked the local library to remove a book called, Where Willy Went after her 7-year-old daughter pulled it from a shelf in the children's section. The book contains pictures explaining conception from the perspective of a sperm cell.

"It's actually a great book if I was looking to explain to my children how people reproduce, but it forced me to have that conversation with my children when I wasn't ready for it," Subia said. "I thought the kids' section was safe."

Chandler's library board decided to keep the book where it was.

In Maine, JoAn Karkos stole a book on human sexuality from the children's section of libraries in Lewiston and Auburn and sent the libraries a check to cover the cost of the book, which she called "pornographic."

"Lyrics have warnings. Movies have warnings. But our publicly funded libraries do not have warnings," said Karkos, a 65-year-old retired credit union loan officer who was fined by a court.

Krug said libraries strive for diversity, not balance. If someone doesn't like what's on the shelf, they don't have to read it, she said.

Anne Marie Wlodarczyk of Lackawanna, N.Y., said she was outraged earlier this year when a local school board member asked that six books dealing with the occult be pulled from shelves at the local middle school.

"It's important for children to read, and I will not let my child be hindered," said Wlodarczyk, whose son is a high school freshman. "How do you expect a child to grow? I'm sorry, you can't hide the outside world from them."

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